Cross reference to related application. This invention has utility in the process described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 088,808 filed concurrently herewith entitled "Article Fabricated by Sequential Layer Deposition".
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for feeding powder from a source through a nozzle at a controlled rate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many processes employ powders. These include various coating processes. For the effective practice for these processes, it is desirable that the powder flow rate be at a uniform rate and that the rate be controllable. In the prior art, many types of powder feeding mechanisms have been employed including feed apparatus using externally coupled vibrational sources and powder feed apparatuses which employ screw type delivery systems. So far as we are aware none of the prior art devices have used internal vibrating members which are surrounded by the powder to be fed.